Reclaimed Redwood Porch Swings Made from Recycled Playsets

Be Creative and Courageous

Money was tight in 2002 and creative solutions for Christmas were in order. A porch swing for my grandparents lake house seemed like a good fit. This was to be my first attempt at making a porch swing and my confidence was high despite not knowing where to start. My design concept called for lots of curves, a strong high back, solid parts and definitely unique. It was a hit with friends, family and my folks enjoyed it for several years. You can see the completed porch swing below and to the right.
I utilized design cues from some makers, eliminated thoughtless design, added a little flair, big hardware, pride and craftsmanship. Careful folks, look out for wood porch swings hanging directly from the armrest. A good wooden patio swing should support you, not your arm.

Reclaimed Redwood Porch Swing Christmas Gift

4' Del Sol Patio Swing

5' Del Sol Patio Swing

5' Redwood Porch Swing with Lumbar Support and Outrigger Chain Supports

Design With Purpose

As mentioned, money was tight and old wooden swing set parts were scattered throughout my storage. The materials just needed some clean up work to be re-used. Large redwood and cedar parts were run through a beat up table saw with a bent fence and the curves were cut out with an awful jigsaw that was eventually destroyed in a fit of rage because of it's suckiness. The curves were shaped to a smooth finish with a $10 pawn shop belt sander and all other pieces were hand sanded. I made three porch swings that Christmas and gave them all away.

2010 5' Del Sol Patio Swing

Design With Passion

As a rule, I don't sell porch swings. My preference is to make them and give them away or make unique ones never to be made again. Over the years I've made several patio swings and as my craft improved and my eye for details became more acute, the length of time needed to build a product with quality and craftsmanship stretched out to a 4-5 day build time and forced me to put a value on these fine porch swings. The value in materials and time make them expensive locally and hard to market nationally due to the cost of shipping.
My intent in the near future is to convert these porch swing designs into do-it-yourself plans which will be offered at OtterWorks USA as an instant download so you can build your own. Expected release late 2017. Hopefully this page inspires you to take on your own porch swing project. You can do it. I did.